Playing With Fire
by pinkrules09
Summary: Kurt expected his day to be like every other, depending on his class. When the fire-fighter Blaine walks into his classroom to give a speech on fire safety, Kurt knows today is going to be different. Rated M for language.
1. How First Meetings Shouldn't Be

"Today, we are going to meet a very special person who is -quite literally- a life saver!" A sound of surprise from the children in front of him made him smile and raise a finger to his lips. One of the girls mirrored this and soon the room was silent again. "I would like you all to give a warm welcome to Blaine!" Kurt began to make his way towards the door, hoping the mystery fire fighter stood behind it as planned.

Kurt only found out his name about an hour ago when one fire fighter was ill and Blaine had offered to fill in. He had never actually met Blaine so when he opened the door and sheepishly watched him walk in; Kurt had to stop himself from gasping. Stood in front of him was not a 45-year-old balding man who would drone on about fire safety for hours as his class slowly fell asleep like he expected, but a young man around his age who looked fantastic.

Blaine looked at Kurt and paused, his lips pressed together tightly before thrusting out his hand and introducing himself politely. The handshake dragged on, their hands swaying between them. A small cough from the children reminded Kurt that he and Blaine were not alone and their hands let go of each other, dropping heavily to their sides.

"Alright, Blaine do you want to set yourself up while I organise these guys?" Kurt cringed even as he said it, was he trying to make it sound like a crude pick-up line before an orgy? Blaine didn't seem to pick it up (thankfully) and nodded eagerly before turning and -holyshit- bending over to pick up his bag.

Kurt cleared his throat before ushering his class to the front to sit around Blaine. He picked up his coffee and sat at the edge of his desk, glancing around his class and waiting for Blaine to finish setting up. Blaine clapped his hands together and smiled widely, looking at Kurt, who nodded to him and Blaine began to tell a story.

Kurt sat there, watching Blaine as surreptitiously as he could, but after a while, he gave up and just stared at him. Blaine had the whole class captivated with his story of saving a kitten from a tree. The first thought that rang through his mind was how cliché it was for a fire fighter to be saving kittens in trees but he was interested now and wanted to find out if the kitten made it.

10 minutes of roller-coaster feelings, swoops and turns later, the kitten was fine and Blaine was grinning at the children mischievously, making Kurt think that Blaine had a few more tricks up his sleeve for the class.

"Who here likes dressing up?" Blaine asked, the light hitting him at just the right angle and making the room ignite with an angelic light. The whole class erupted into giggles and cheers while Blaine peeked at Kurt through his obscenely long eyelashes.

No one has ever looked at me like this before; not even Fran. They had been dating for roughly 7 months and Kurt felt like he was in love again. After a few previously broken hearts, countless bottles of wine and reassuring looks from his friends Kurt had finally decided to take things steady with crushes. Making the decision had been hard; he didn't like commitment and only went out with people once and always left the next morning. However, sleeping around after every one of his heartbreaks had become shitter when Rachel made a spontaneous chick-flick movie marathon for him. He wallowed in self-pity for hours while quoting every Meg Ryan line in the movies they watched together. Those movie nights always pulled him back to reality and made him realise how great the relationship could be, if only he tried. Kurt tried and tried, then he found Fran and everything came together.

"Okay, stand up everyone and form a line at the back of the class - yes just like that - Hey! Catharine, I can see you pushing Steven - remember what I told - NO! - Chris stop it- Catharine! What did I just say?" He verbally wrestled with them while Blaine stood, watching with a smile playing on his lips. He took a step towards Kurt and rested his hand on his arm. Kurt turned his head quickly and quieted the class, listening as Blaine quietly whispered in his ear.

"Mister Kurt! Is Blaine telling you secrets?" Catharine yelled from the back of the class, making both Blaine and Kurt laugh, turning towards her.

"No Catharine, but he is telling me what we are all going to do together" Kurt replied, walking to the back of the room, pushing the tables back while Blaine did the same at the front of the class. A whisper of excitement came from the children, Kurt leaned in, eager to listen further, and as he did, he didn't look where he was stepping and tripped on a bag hidden under a chair with the strap peeking out.

He squealed and fell onto a table, hitting his shins and grunting as his hands reached out to stop himself from falling. Although not doing what he intended, they gave out and Kurt's head whacked off the table. He fell to the floor, clutching his forehead and trying to focus on the objects now floating above him, white lights winking at him and he blinked continually until a mop of curly dark hair appeared.

A voiced joined, was it saying his name? Strong hands clutched his face, steadying his eyes for a second before he felt Blaine pick him up and re-adjust the way he had fallen. Kurt felt someone's gentle hands on his neck, feeling for his pulse and a head resting on his chest seconds later.


	2. Well I Feel Foolish

"-rt! Can you hear me? Kurt!"

The deep voice swam heavily in his mind, fighting through pain and _– oh_ _man - _did his head hurt. He chanced opening his eyes a little and winced when the bright light hit his sensitive pupils. His head began to throb and his back pulsed with a dull ache.

"Oh Kurt! Can you open your eyes again for me?" He heard the man's voice again, deep and smooth, ring in his ears and echo through his skull. Kurt cracked his eyes open again, slowly, so that the light could gently filter in, clearing his vision. He could see a man directly above him, smiling reassuringly with one hand on his ribcage and the other under his head, the fingers entwined in his hair lightly stroking his scalp.

"Ouch" He mumbled with his lips dry and his voice hoarse.

"What hurts the most, Kurt?" Blaine's voice was softer now and he could feel the muscles in Blaine's hand relax and leave the back of his head, lowering it to the cool floor.

"My hip-" He sucked in a breath when he twisted his hips, pain striking white-hot spikes down his side, making his ribs ache and his lungs burn. He paused before continuing, waiting until the pain had subsided a little "-most of my upper body, but I think if I just lay here for a while, I will be able to get up" He huffed out a laugh before sucking in air through his teeth at the pain radiating through his body.

"I think you should just stay there for a while, how does your head feel?" Kurt could see Blaine's eyes search his own, checking his focus. Kurt swallowed heavily before answering in a small voice,

"It just hurts a little bit on my left side" He lifted his arm and felt around his hairline, feeling a bump and wet –_blood eww blood-_ " and my forehead but aside from that and my ribs, I think I'm okay" He gave Blaine a weak smile and very _very _slowly, began to move. He rolled his shoulders, testing for any pain, before he pushed himself up and Blaine helped him with a very worried look on his face.

"Kurt, you need to stay down, your body will still be in shock" He waved the concerned comment away and blinked a few times before frowning at Blaine.

"Where is my class?" He tried not to sound worried but his voice shook with tension and fear, _what if they had been so scared they ran out the class? I know they're only young, imagine what they thought when I fell over oh god-_

"Kurt, it's okay, Mrs. Glover came in when she heard them scream, she took them into her classroom and calmed them down, I was told to stay here, with my training and all – she wouldn't let me leave" Blaine laughed and once Kurt had processed it, he laughed as well. He knew how Mrs. Glover tricked people with her height and small frame; she had a bark that was a lot worse than her bite.

"I think I want to stand now, can you help me?" Kurt hooked his arm around Blaine's neck and gave him a lopsided smile.

"Are you sure? Kurt, your body will need to rest before you can start doing anything drastic"

"Blaine, I'm just standing up, I'm not doing a gymnastic routine"

Blaine frowned at him but eventually gave in and helped him stand up and perch on the edge of a desk.

When Kurt looked up from his spot on the floor, his head pulled back when he realised how close he and Blaine's faces were to each other. Judging by the look in Blaine's eyes, he had noticed as well.


	3. This Fainting Thing Needs To Stop

Kurt needed to generate some distance between them; he couldn't look at Blaine's bright eyes any longer for fear of losing himself in the deep amber cores. He huffed out a breath, steadying himself on the table behind him with his hands and pushed himself up, straightening his back and wincing at the sudden soreness he felt there. The concern in Blaine's eyes almost made him sit back down and relax into his arms. _Those arms- holy cow, how had he not noticed before? He could just imagine Blaine holding him in the winter or pushing him against a wall or-_

**No.**

He wouldn't... _couldn't _think like that. Not after the last time, not after what he did to Fran.

_Fran._

Just the name managed to pull Kurt from his reverie and made him focus on his next step. No longer concerned about his body and the pain it was going through, he sprang back towards the door and squared his shoulders. He took a moment to catch a breath and then set his jaw,

"Thank you Blaine, I-"

_Now what?_

"I-I- should go and find my class, it's almost lunchtime. Do you need to be back at the station or-?" He left the question hanging in the empty room as he looked impassively at Blaine; rod straight back Blaine, impeccably polite and helpful Blaine, Blaine who looked like he had just lost his puppy and didn't know whether to cry or scream.

"I don't need to be back, not unless there is an emergency. Do you not need any help? I really don't think that after-" Blaine didn't mumble his words but they still sounded unsure and unclear, and he stopped in the middle of his sentence, begging Kurt with his eyes.

_(Don't make me leave, not yet. I don't want to leave you alone.)_

"Blaine. Stop, please" He needed to have space to breathe away from Blaine and his damn puppy dog eyes. He smiled confidently at the confused man and held out his hand.

"It was very nice to meet you and I hope that if we do meet in the future, I won't be unconscious for most of the time spent together" Kurt said, his eyes firmly set on Blaine.

The fire-fighter shook his hand (feeling a bit lost) and took his leave, even though he was quite insistent on staying.

Once the classroom was empty of children and a concerned fire-fighter, Kurt tried to pull himself together. Lightly pushing at parts of his skin, he noticed that his injuries weren't as bad as originally thought, just a few bruises and a headache that would disappear after some paracetamol was in his system. After heaving a heavy sigh, he bent down to collect his bag, wincing at the pain that spread from his wrist all the way up to his shoulder. Before he left the room, he gently put the bag onto his shoulder and covered a moan of pain with a scoff.

"So then I tripped, scared the shit out of my poor class and passed out on the floor" Kurt laughed while he recalled the events of the day to Rachel and Brody (leaving out Blaine and his entire presence of course, he would tell Rachel later but he didn't think that Fran could handle it just yet).

Fran was stood by the bar, ordering drinks for the four people with a wave of his hands and a smile on his face. He had always liked the closeness that you got in an underground bar or club, whereas Kurt had always preferred a terrace bar or just an open space. Kurt smiled towards Fran, his thoughts encased by his smile and lean frame encompassed by the lights behind the bar.

Kurt laughed again even though it was starting to cause a dull ache in his ribs, "I am so glad Mrs Glover came in when she did, otherwise this would have been a really fucked-up evening!" Rachel smiled at him and Brody just looked composed and cool (as usual). Kurt took this time to pause and rub at his neck absentmindedly; he didn't want to bring any more attention to his injuries. His chest had been tingling, like tiny prickles on his skin every now and then, but he figured it was just his muscles playing up. He began to breathe out from his nose gently and slowly before Kurt felt Fran's concerned eyes on him.

Fran returned with the drinks and handed them out accordingly with a flourish of his wrist only a bartender could get away with. Kurt cooed at him before kissing him on the cheek, reaching for his drink and brushing against Fran's hand as he did so.

"Thanks puddin'" The nickname still felt raw on his tongue, but if Fran wanted to be named after a fattening and only eaten in Rachel's 'dire' situations food, so be it. Kurt launched back into his story as if he hadn't been interrupted, explaining how he then checked on his class before signing out and going to A & E for a head examination.

At the utterance of Kurt's injuries, Fran leaned into him, slung his heavy arm over Kurt's shoulder and lightly kissed his temple. With the sudden pressure, pain struck his shoulders and Kurt tried not to wince, instead he sipped his drink and rolled his shoulders just so it didn't cause attention but still managed to slow the pain down a bit. Rachel cocked her head and raised an eyebrow in silent judgement. Kurt knew this look. Rachel could have him figured out in seconds, she knew all about his techniques for disguise and his tricks for hiding. He discreetly mimed putting his finger to his lips before licking off an imaginary drip of his drink from his finger.

Kurt would talk to her tonight, he would tell her of the man with the amber eyes and the fire enclosed within his heart.

If only he could get the phone call past Fran.

"So, dude, why do you have a name like Fran anyway?" Brody's light voice was almost lost in the atmospheric sounds of the basement bar as he leaned over the table and whispered to Fran. A small 'oof' was heard as Rachel elbowed him under the table. She frowned towards Brody and his unusual frank-ness. Fran laughed behind his hand and leaned in towards Brody, beckoning him.

"My parents thought I was going to be a girl and because of such, they were going to name me Francine, crazy right? Well, when I popped out, my mum had already embroidered everything with Francine, so they just called me Fran. It's annoying but I guess it was just a decision they made" He shrugged and took a large gulp from his pre-chilled beer, the ghost of a smile on his face.

Kurt's arms began to ache and his body was starting to wear down, he could feel himself becoming weaker. The pain in his ribs was escalating quickly and the muscles in his thigh were painfully close to cramping up.

"Hey, Frannie, I don't feel too good, I think I'm going to go home. I'm sorry guys-" He managed to look at Rachel and Brody's faces before his neck pulsed with pain and he had to look down at the table, "-Fran, I really need some help right now, my headache has come back with a vengeance and I don't think-

He closed his eyes, the bar spinning behind them in a haze of dim lights and the only thing he felt was a hand grab his waist before he spiralled into an endless plume of black.


	4. The One With Blaine Feelings

"I don't understand what I did wrong, I mean, I helped him up and I looked after him. You would think he could be a little bit more grateful!" Blaine emphasised the last couple of words with punches to the bag in front of him. Mike nodded along as he stretched and Wes just raised an eyebrow sceptically.

"Do you think you maybe smothered him? I know he fell over and bumped his head but sometimes you can be a bit… over the top"

"Over the top? Over the- He had a head injury for crying out loud! I couldn't just leave him!"

"Remember Steve? The guy you visited in the hospital _every day_ for a month while he recovered?"

"Steve-"He began in earnest, but Wes cut him off with a swift reply,

"Or Marie?"

"She was-"

"Claire?"

"Wes I-"

"Michael?"

"Wes, listen to me!" Blaine struggled to control his voice. He couldn't hide how it began to shake, badly hiding withheld anger behind a smoky growl. Wes wrapped the towel around his shoulders and gestured for Blaine to continue while his expression became impassive. Blaine sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with his gloved hands and reveling in the rough scratch from the Velcro.

"I was just trying to help." Blaine's voice was softer now, his eyes cast down to the floor before he spoke again, "It's my job, it's your job, it's _our_ job" He stared at Wes after gesturing towards the men and women currently working out around them. "If I don't do that, if I don't help people feel safe then I'm not doing my job properly and as my supervisor/best friend, neither are you."

He began to tear off the gloves and tape as he stormed off toward his locker, unlocking it with skilled fingers and throwing the worn objects inside before he turned on his heel, glared at a surprised looking Wes and made a swift exit.

Blaine arrived home earlier than usual and when he glanced at the clock he knew he should still be at the gym for another few hours, not sulking at home because he didn't understand a stranger he had only met 3 hours ago. Blaine groaned loudly at the thought of Kurt. On the one hand, he couldn't understand why Kurt wanted to get rid of him so quickly; on the other he knew that Wes' point was right. Sometimes he did become a bit clingy with people.

The sharp yip from his puppy whisked him out of his daydream and he crouched down as a blur of brown fur pushed into him with little force but Blaine still fell back and wrestled the puppy on his chest, laughing when it attacked his face with an eager tongue.

"Hey there Yip! You excited to see me? Are ya? Are ya? Yes you are! Yes you are!" He blew raspberries on the puppy's stomach and it yipped excitedly at him in response, its pink tongue lolling out from the side of its mouth.

He laughed and pulled himself up; tucking the squirming ball of fur under his arm and receiving a face nuzzle from a larger, but exactly the same in every way, brown Labrador.

"Hello to you too Brownie" He stroked her chin and her ears. Then once she was satisfied; she trotted off to lounge about in the kitchen. The puppy wriggled fiercely as he tried to follow his mum and Blaine placed him back down, laughing as the brown ball became a blur once more, skidding around the corner with an excited 'yip'.

The two dogs were his constant companions, best friends and flat mates all rolled into two very different yet similar, brown Labradors.

Once he had set his bag and shoes in the hall, Blaine collapsed onto the sofa in the front room; which was snugly hidden in an almond coloured alcove and was one of his favourite places to sit after a hard day. The sofa had been salvaged from a closing down antique shop and Blaine had loved it ever since. After the introduction of an old blanket and some very soft pillows, he had the perfect sofa to relax on.

Today had been a hard day and there was no place he would rather unwind. The sofa was small enough to squeeze into the alcove (Wes and him had wrestled with it for hours before just clipping the edges off, which did make it difficult to move without damaging the wall but it looked really nice) and yet still big enough for him and the two dogs to sit on late at night.

As he relaxed, he mused over the thoughts whispering inside his ears; every person he saved, every life he changed, Blaine felt he should look after them, protect them, and keep them safe. One of the reasons he became a fire-fighter was because of the protection he can give to people.

_"I can't help them behind a desk, dad! I will do better on the streets, you know I will! I can help people more down there than sat up behind a desk here!"_

_"Blaine, it is a family tradition for the men to become lawyers, you know that! You have a law degree for god's sake! You have been studying to be my replacement your entire life! You can't quit now, I can't let you as your supervisor and I won't as your father."_

_"So, if I walk out that door am I no longer your son? Am I no longer an Anderson man? Just like Cooper?"_

_"If you walk out that door, you are no longer my son, you are a shame to this family, the Anderson name and I will no longer help you with anything. Cooper made his decision a long time ago; I hope you don't make the same mistake."_

That day, Blaine Anderson had become just Blaine.

His father had severed all ties with him.

Blaine was once again left alone in a strange place.

Running his fingers through thick curls, Blaine decided that planning out the rest of his evening was a better way of ending the day than thinking of his father and the future he had been well on his way towards.

Shower.

Beer.

TV.

Movie. (If there isn't anything good on TV)

Then he will fall into bed and not fall asleep until the early hours.

Yes, _yes. _All he had to do was stop thinking about Kurt/his past and his night could go on unaffected.

Hours passed quickly and Blaine found himself thinking of Kurt when he grabbed a beer. What alcoholic drinks would Kurt drink? Would he even drink alcohol? Is he a beer or a wine person?

He thought of his future when he watched TV. What TV programs would he watch if he was still a lawyer? Reality? Crime? Would he even watch TV?

The shrill shriek of his phone startled him from his thoughts and made Yip start howling. He shh'ed the puppy before picking the phone up and monotonously speaking,

"Blaine Ande- Blaine here, how can I help?"

"It's me"

"… Wes?"

"Actually no, I lied, considering 'me' is such an abnormal concept for you, I will state my name and rank the next time I think you may not recognise my voice"

"What? Wes, why are you confusing me? It's like-" He squinted at his watch and yawned, "-almost 10 at night. I thought you were with Mike?"

"I was… I mean, I am, he just broke up with Tina, or she broke up with him, I'm not quite sure, but he's very upset and I don't think I can handle him on his own…" Wes trailed off, and Blaine knew what was coming next.

"Can we drop by yours? You know that seeing Yip always cheers Mike up and dogs have that seventh sense with people, don't they?" As Wes continued to talk, Blaine worried about the tension between them after the argument today. He wasn't one to hold grudges but he knew they would have to talk it out before going back to how they were before.

When he came back to the conversation, Wes was becoming lost in dog psychology so Blaine interrupted with a swift 'yes you can come over, yes you can bring beer, no not 3 crates' and then he ended the call.

His night wasn't going to plan, but at least he wouldn't be alone again for another night.


	5. Skipping Christmas

Mike's face was a portrait of sadness when he walked in through Blaine's front door. To help him feel better, Blaine lifted Yip up and gave him to Mike with a weary smile. Yip stopped squirming, cocking his head to the side instead, and his ears flattened to his tiny head. Blaine hugged Mike in an awkward side hold to keep from squishing Yip. Wes strode past them both and made his way into the kitchen (as always), plonking the beers into an empty shelf in the fridge before turning back into the hall to saunter (because for some reason when Wes was at Blaine's, he walked around like he owned the place) into the front room, determined to take over the best seat on the sofa.

"Wesley!" A familiar voice sang from the hallway and Wes stopped walking mid-step and grinned widely as Blaine rolled his eyes in fond amusement. The short and adorable 'Jen from next door' barrelled into Wes and hugged his middle. Wes and Blaine hadn't known who lived there until she needed some help with her TV a few years back and had asked them to help her. Since that day, they had all become good friends and even hung out sometimes on the weekend. Blaine suspected she also had a _huge _crush on Wes, so there was that.

"Jen, I don't understand how you have so much energy, you're almost 60!" Blaine spluttered as Jen effortlessly lifted Wes off the ground in a bear hug.

"Active lifestyle" She replied with a grin, pausing before she added "and sex life!"

Blaine eyed the mistletoe stuffed in her cardigan's pocket with suspicion; realising Jen probably had that planned before Christmas. He had tried to make his apartment look Christmas-y but Yip was determined to pull the tree down, chew up the baubles and tinsel before looking dejected as Blaine hung them out of his reach. The tree had been given to Wes and Blaine replaced it with a small fibre-optic tree that sat on his cluttered kitchen table.

Blaine cringed and hid his face in his hands while Wes laughed and Mike even broke out into a smirk before his face drooped and his eyes became blank. Jen turned towards Blaine, the grin still beaming until she saw the look on Mike's face.

"What's up with my tiny dancer?"

"Tina broke up with him an hour ago" Wes slung his arm around Mike's shoulder and looked at Jen, needing her wisdom.

"This boy needs a hot meal, endless collections of soppy movies and some beer" Jen stroked his cheek fondly and he smiled at her, nodding in agreement before she tapped him lightly on the cheek and took Yip from his arms who instantly snuggled into her chest.

Blaine shooed everyone inside, closing the door behind them and heading into the kitchen. As he pulled the door open from his almost empty fridge he laughed at the picture that was constantly on the front of it. It was a memory of Mike when they first met. At Wes' 23st birthday, his theme was fashion from the 1920's – 1990's and Mike was dressed as if he had come straight from Saturday Night Fever. (Blaine had dressed like he had come straight from The Great Gatsby and Wes was from a cringey teenage TV show from the 90's)

"Hey, Mike? Do you still have that polyester suit from Wes' birthday a few years back? That always makes us feel better!" Blaine yelled from the kitchen as he pulled four beers from the fridge and closed the door with a tap of his hip.

"You mean the one from Saturday Night Fever? Ha! No, Tina made me get rid of it a few years back because a friend of hers gave her a lecture on polyester and how it's the 'grossest thing since Rachel's blue pantsuit'.. whatever that is.. but I think he's pretty biased on the suit because he wore one as well so..."

When he walked from the kitchen, Blaine could still imagine Mike in the stunningly white and dull black suit he had drunkenly strutted around in that night and chuckled to himself. He handed out the beers and offered one to Jen but she declined with a shake of her head and he rested it on the mantelpiece, if it even went even close to the floor, Yip would have it over in seconds.

At the mention of Tina, Mike seemed to flit back to his mopey mood and slumped further into the sofa's embrace. Wes reached for the remote and switched on the TV, snorting and then laughing hysterically when he realised what was playing on the music channel.

Blaine froze and a blush spread up his neck, past his ears and up to his curls as he heard the opening chords to 'When I get you alone' blaring from the TV in front of the four people. Mike slowly turned his head, a smug grin spreading on his face as Jen quizzically looked from Wes trying to catch his breath on one side to Blaine stood frozen in the doorway.

"I don't understand" Jen mumbled, "Is this a guy thing?"

Before Blaine could explain, Wes stood and raised his hand.

"It's a Warbler thing; do you remember when we showed you the footage of our a-capella group performing on stage? Well-"

He paused to laugh and then continued, his grin threatening to split his face,

"- that was around the time Blaine decided to serenade a shop assistant. Jerry? Jenny? JERAMIAH" He managed to choke out before barking out a laugh and collapsing onto the sofa.

"Oh haha," Blaine sarcastically threw back, "it wasn't funny; it was really embarrassing for me!" Blaine pouted from the doorway before he slumped into the armchair and scratched Brownie's tummy where she lay by his feet. Jen stood up and cupped Mike's still smiling face and leaned down to kiss his forehead,

"You two are meant to be, remember that" She said softly before blowing a kiss to Wes and patting Blaine's knee and leaving. Mike sat stunned for a moment before he spoke, feigning excitement,

"Before I forget, we've been invited to a Christmas Boxing day party and New Year's eve party but we can figure out the details later… maybe we should watch a film, what mood are we in? I think something action-y and violent should be adequate… BATMAN" Mike yelled the last part, causing Wes to jump violently off the sofa in shock and punch his arm in return.

Blaine looked at his friends wrestling on the sofa and smiled; wanting to conserve this moment, before running towards Yip who was pulling a string of tinsel from the Christmas box hidden in the corner and stopping him from eating it and creating a Christmassy mess, the aforementioned party all but forgotten.

Kurt's fingers lightly traced the veins on the back of Fran's hand and followed one to his wrist, all the way to the elbow and back. He repeated the action a few times before he brushed against a small, almost unperceivable scar. The scar was old and faded; the skin stretching over it pale in comparison to the rest of ivory skin it was swarmed by on every side. His fingers slid over it and Kurt feathered his touch so it was barely perceptible to Fran. He felt nothing more than ghost-like rough skin under his soft fingertip. Kurt had always envied Fran's flawless form after seeing him model underwear for Calvin Klein when he was doing a report for Vogue in Paris this April.

They had 'bumped' into one another after the show (Kurt knew that Isabelle had pushed him into Fran's path but he hadn't complained yet) and they both agreed to get a coffee together the next day. This was a huge step for Kurt. He had never been to Paris before, and he certainly didn't expect to meet an underwear model and then go on a date with him. Over the following few months, Kurt had been told of Fran's inner workings, what made him tick, and in return, Fran had learnt about him.

Kurt's favourite fact about Fran was that his full name was Francine and Fran's favourite fact about Kurt was how easily he was to tickle. They both loved that they spoke French to each other in public. Their relationship was an intimacy he had never fully experienced and he was drinking it up, every day, every moment. They seemed to fit together like pieces of a jigsaw, slotting into place; feeling snug and comfortable. At the moment, Christmas decorations were thrown around the room in a twisted yet organised manner and Kurt cringed when he noticed one of the pieces of tinsel was shedding random slivers of royal gold and green on the new carpet.

As it was their first Christmas together, Kurt prepared to spend every evening with Fran, planning and making the flat look as festive before Burt and Carole came over to share the Christmas celebrations. He sighed internally at the mess (because no matter how much he tried to convince himself it was an _organised_ mess, it really wasn't) in front of him, rolling his shoulders and internally debating with himself on starting on it tonight. Fran took his movement as an invitation to pull Kurt closer to his chest and kiss his hair fondly.

Kurt was fast to learn that Fran was a 'physical intimacy' kind of person; he gave Kurt a hug and a kiss before he went to work and when he came back they usually stood by the door together, mumbling sweet nothings before making dinner. Fran tasted the minty freshness on Kurt's lips that lingered there before sleep and tasted the creamy bitterness that came with Kurt's morning coffee. It was fresh and domestic, and Kurt had never felt so at home.

Fran slowly mapped out patterns leading from Kurt's arms to his shoulders, sweet circles with angelic lines caressing his skin and Kurt leaned toward them gratefully. He entwined their fingers and turned towards Fran, hastily glancing into the hazy grey eyes of the man relaxed behind him. Quick fleeting images of lazy afternoons and hurried mornings flashed across Kurt's weary half-lidded eyes. Fran grinned from above him and cheekily pecked the tip of Kurt's nose before kissing the corner of his mouth and leaning his head back on the sofa and closing his eyes.

Kurt's neck and body still ached from the day's examinations from various doctors and nurses. He had been warned by Rachel to just relax and keep his head as still as possible. For Fran, that meant 'babying' Kurt by sitting on the sofa and cuddling for the entire night. It felt like Fran was smothering him but Kurt knew it would do his body and mind well in the end. After his second collapse of the day, Kurt had been sent straight home from the hospital (the second time in a day) to rest and relax. Kurt's head rested against Fran's warm chest and he snuggled closer, his fingers deftly digging into Fran's arms as his eyes finally closed from exhaustion, Christmas lights from outside winking at him in blue and green, gold and red.

He spent the rest of his evening wrapped up in Fran's arms, warm and safe.

Until Rachel decided to stick her nose in his business and ring him up, demanding a moment to rattle on in his ear.

"Kurt, I'm telling you! We need to go to this party! They're having one on Boxing Day and another to celebrate the New Year! Please please please come with Brody and myself! Bring Fran!" Rachel shrieked from the receiver he held at arm's length.

"Yes, yes okay whatever just call me tomorrow and I swear if you call me later tonight-"

"Oh Kurt, I won't I promise! This is perfect! Thank you! Okay, okay, goodnight and goodbye, thank you!"

He threw his phone onto the table, muttering to himself,

"Crazy bitch"


	6. Why is it always me?

Kurt looked around him before stepping out into the empty hall, the door to 7B closing behind him with a click. Noise of music, singing and general chatter lost behind the heavy oak. Glancing at the walls of the old apartment building with a critical eye, Kurt noticed the large window surrounded by an exposed brick wall to his left showing the thrum of cars and bustle of people in the city below. He shrugged on his coat, enjoying the pull on his shoulders from its heavy winter feel as he jostled his hands around in his pockets for his phone and keys. Double checking he had money, Kurt began his decent down the single flight of stairs before he heard someone burst through the door above and fly past him, grabbing his hand and jerking him quickly down the stone steps.

"Rachel! The only reason I came out was to get more wine, stop pulling me!" Kurt yelled while sliding his hand along the wall to steady himself. His gloves caught on the brick and he could feel the fabric cling to the rough edges and they thinned with every drag and press. The amount of pulling power in Rachel's tiny frame still shocked Kurt even though Rachel practically dragged him _every _chance she got.

"Come on Kurt! The shop closes soon and I need you to tell me about Blaine after you skimped out on me via text!" she panted at the bottom of the stairs, her hand still firmly clasped around Kurt's, her eyes sparkling as she used her free hand to sling a cream coloured scarf around her neck.

Kurt sharply pulled his hand from Rachel's and held both hands in front of his face, comparing his gloves together and frowned.

"Look at this! Fran bought me these gloves for Christmas and now I can't wear them because this one is _ruined!" _He shoved his left hand into her face and pointed furiously at it. Rachel shrugged, the smile never leaving her face.

Before Kurt could step towards the front door of the building, three men fell into the small lobby their laughs echoing off each surface. Kurt cocked his head as he took in their outfits and faces, realising they looked a lot like the three musketeers, _fucking hell._ They were still laughing until one of them locked eyes with Kurt and Rachel barrelled into Mike, crushing him in a hug.

"Kurt?" Blaine's voice cracked and his hand clenched around the crate of beer he was carrying, turning his knuckles white. Kurt scrutinised Blaine before he spoke,

"Blaine?" Kurt's voice didn't sound as steady as he wanted and he heard Rachel squeak,

"This is HIM?!"

Kurt's brain came back to earth –_ is Blaine wearing a bowtie oh my god –_ and spoke up,

"Hi Blaine, nice to see you again" Kurt kept his voice level as he took a longer look at Blaine. He never had the chance to notice before how Blaine's curls framed his face and how his eyelashes spread out the shape of his eyes behind the cat-like mask he was wearing – _is that eyeliner? – _

Blaine stared back, his features frozen in response before he shrugged, jiggling the guitar on his back and making the bottles in his arms clink together. Kurt turned towards Mike, who had peeled Rachel off his torso,

"Mike, it's been too long! Do you know where Dan's flat is?" Kurt spoke before Mike briefly nodded, looking apprehensive and a little bit tired, and his eyes circled with dark shadows. Kurt grinned at them, swung the front door open, grabbed Rachel's hands and raced down the stairs leading to the street, feeling like he was swimming in Blaine's honey and whiskey eyes.

"What just happened?" Wes looked between Mike and Blaine, his hands planted firmly on his hips. Blaine shifted on his feet and stared at the beer bottles he was carrying,

"Your guess is as good as mine, that's the second time I've seen Kurt and been left feeling like _something_ just happened but I can't figure out what" He barely articulated the sentence, and only at the end did his voice drift off. Blaine was worried that he had done something wrong. It's not like he knew Kurt but did the stranger have to be so blunt? He turned towards Mike,

"Mike, how did that girl know you?"

"Rachel? She was in my glee club. Kurt was too, did I ever mention them?" Mike looked between Wes who was trying to hide a smirk and Blaine who still looked like a lost puppy. "Wait, you mean-" He pointed towards the door "-_that_ was the Kurt you helped?"

Blaine could only stand there slack-jawed. How did he not make the connection earlier? All those stories of the infamous 'New Directions' and Kurt Hummel started spinning in his head.

"I haven't seen those two in _years"_ Mike stared at Wes as he spoke, "I only usually see them when I'm with Tina and she hasn't been invited to a Berry party in a while"

Wes tilted his head between the two men and stared up the stairs.

"Well, fellow musketeers, onwards we tread to conquer!" Wes grinned at them before racing up stairs, "Last one there has to drink 3 shots of tequila!" he yelled down, laughing at the end.

Mike looked at Blaine and Blaine looked at Mike, a challenging look in their eyes.

They ran.

After the 3 tequila shots (Blaine swore that Mike tripped him on the stairs and made him _almost_ drop the crate of beer) he was swaying a bit, the second bottle of beer clasped tightly in one hand. Blaine had been stood by the window for half an hour, talking to a polite but forward blonde girl –_Quinn, her name is Quinn_- before the small brunette he saw briefly in the lobby bounced into the room with a wine bottle in each hand, followed by Kurt laden with a wine crate. The Dalton gentlemen in him wanted to go and help Kurt out but a taller man in a _very_ nice designer (he assumed it was designer, the cut of the fabric and flawless fitting just screamed it) suit pecked Kurt's cheek before taking the wine crate from him and walking into the kitchen, Kurt quickly following.

Oh.

Kurt had a partner, of _course_. Blaine hadn't seen his face but the man had a fantastic ass, and was wearing a _suit_. Blaine was dressed in a 'Three Musketeers' costume and was wearing eyeliner. No competition there. Kurt was turning out to be just another guy, just another _someone_ he would never share his deepest secrets with, or fall asleep with after a hard day at work, Blaine's face tucked into his neck, their hands entwined and clasped between their heated bodies.

But Blaine felt like there was that _something_ about this someone, and he wasn't going to let his shyness cloud his vision any longer.

"Hey, Blaine, you okay?" Quinn's hand was hot where it rested on his arm and he pulled away sharply, as if being burnt. She raised an eyebrow but let her arm fall down next to her, tucking it into one of the pockets on her gold and black baby doll dress.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine! I just-"

"Everyone, hey! _Everyone_!" The tall man who had kissed Kurt earlier emerged from the kitchen with a large grin on his face, Kurt not far behind, concealing a soft smile behind his hand. "We should play Twister!" The room erupted into a cheer as he and a few other guys Blaine didn't know made space in the middle of the room by pushing furniture to the walls where people decided to use them as seats, perching wherever they could, preparing to watch.

Blaine wasn't much for party games that involved your face going near people's crotch or ass, or being laughed at as you bend over into a complex yoga pose so he smiled at Quinn, dipping his head quickly and raced across the room towards Wes who was standing next to Rachel, chatting loudly.

"Hey Rachel, I'm Blaine" He held out the hand not occupied by beer and she blinked at him before snorting and taking his hand, curtseying politely as she did so while her face was split by a toothy smile. She patted Wes' arm before she bounded across the room to Kurt and the tall stranger, spilling her drink drop by drop on the floor.

"Wes, who is that guy stood with Kurt?" Blaine asked quietly, not wanting to be overheard by prying ears.

"That's Fran, he moved here 6 weeks after Kurt met him in Paris. He's a French model and they've been dating for about 8 months" Wes counted the months on his fingers before sipping his beer, smiling at Quinn from across the room.

Blaine stared at the man –_Fran_- from his spot next to Wes and wondered if he should even try and talk to Kurt. A French model who actually moved _overseas_ to live with someone he met 6 weeks earlier versus Blaine Anderson, law dropout extraordinaire and everyday fire-fighter.

God damn it.

"Who wants to go first?" Rachel's voice filled the room as it fell silent. "Oh come on! Fine, I will nominate FIVE people to go and if you forfeit, you have to take FIVE tequila shots!" The people surrounding the floor 'oohed', waiting for Rachel to pick the five victims. She laughed and thrust her hand out at a tall brunette girl standing with a blonde girl, their hands intertwined between their bodies.

"Santana! Mike! Puck! Kurt and…" She held on to the'd' noise as she peered around the room and finally zeroed on him, her eyes sparkling, "…BLAINE!"

Well, fuck.


	7. Tequila Stops All Concept Of Balance

As Wes nudged him harshly in the ribs, Blaine contemplated how drunk he would get if he took those shots and _therefore_ humiliate himself and blame it on the alcohol. From behind, Mike made the decision and shoved him into the middle of the room, almost making him fall into Rachel, who was straightening the Twister mat.

"Oomph, Sorry Rachel!" He steadied himself before checking to see if she was okay. Rachel looked okay, even if a little bit amused and he turned around to see Wes and Mike laughing and clutching their sides. Blaine gave them both glares and brushing himself off, he looked back to the game mat on the floor.

"Okay! So, everyone stand by a side of the mat and don't sway too close to anyone else!" As Rachel yelled out instructions and commands, Blaine noticed there were _four _twister mats, not just one, although they were arranged in a T shape.

"San! Left hand red!" Rachel was sat on Fran's knee whilst they shared the spinner and whispering suspiciously between themselves, Rachel grinning like the Cheshire cat once she caught his gaze and winking in his direction. Santana bent over impressively, earning a few wolf whistles as she gave the audience the finger.

"Blaine, right hand Blue!" He stepped forward, cautious of the slippery mat under his feet.

The game continued for some time, all opponents staying away from each other as much as they could and the audience loudly voicing opinions and cat calling whenever someone had to take a precarious position. Soon enough though, Blaine found himself on all fours, his ass straight in the air which _obviously_ Mike and Wes laughed and wolf whistled at, causing Blaine to almost collapse with his own giggles.

Out of the corner of his eye, Blaine saw Fran gently nudge Rachel off his knee (who then pulled an unsuspecting man next to her down so she could perch on his knee instead and _oh_ _okay so they know each other _Blaine thought as Rachel sloppily stuck her tongue down the guys throat – _ew_ -) and hurry into the kitchen, his phone pushed close to his ear and Blaine thought he could hear him rapidly speak French to the person on the other line.

After a few more spins, Blaine found his face very close to the brunette –_Santana_ – who gave him a sly wink as she licked her lips and he could only gulp in response.

"So-" she started effortlessly even though her body was contorted to envy even an Olympic gymnast "-I see you have your eye on Hummel over there" She tilted her head to face Kurt who was staring into the kitchen because Rachel was distracted with her lap-buddy.

"Kurt? Oh no, I- I don't –he has Fran and I- no, no I- he's attractive sure but-" Blaine continued babbling until she interrupted him with a snort and a shrill laugh. Blaine was indignantly squawking at her now and didn't hear Rachel yell at him to move his left leg to a yellow dot.

"BLAINE!" He snapped his head up to see that most of the people in the room (Kurt was nowhere to be seen) were snickering at him and he could still see Santana shake with laughter next to him. "Left leg YELLOW"

"Right okay, sorry, got it, uuh-" The only available space for yellow was behind Santana which meant he would have to straddle her. As soon as he noticed this, she looked over her shoulder and started laughing again, her arms shaking with the force of keeping her body up and away from the mat.

"Come on Blainers, just hop on over to 'tana's ball park" she could barely get through the sentence without cackling and being as stubborn as he is, Blaine lifted his leg with ease and slapped his foot on the other side of her lithe body. She looked up at him with her teeth embedded into her bottom lip to stop from laughing again. Blaine huffed and rearranged himself so he didn't feel like he was topping her, to no avail.

As Blaine looked up towards Wes and Mike who were red in the face and stumbling over each other from laughing he noticed Fran, hard faced and stiff walk over to Rachel's 'friend', whisper something into his ear, clap him heartily on the back and leave. Everyone else seemed to be still focused on the game of twister before the ball dropped in less than an hour. Where was Kurt?

Kurt could still hear the words bouncing off the walls of his head, both French and English.

"I've been asked to go back to France for a once in a lifetime modelling opportunity" Fran had whispered across his neck as his nose nuzzled behind Kurt's ear.

"I- I don't understand, I thought you were happy here" Kurt didn't know how to feel, everything was going so well, he was spending his first new years with someone he cared about and was surrounded by his greatest friends.

"I was, I am _mon petit chéri_ but I need this, I can't just end my career because of a relationship, no matter how special. I don't want to settle down just yet" Even with Fran's term of endearment, Kurt's heart lurched. Fran was leaving him behind; Kurt had felt loved for the first time in a long time and he didn't want it to end. At least, not like this.

"Please, please, don't leave me, at least stay until the New Year" Kurt begged, punctuating his words with a squeeze to Fran's warm and steady chest.

"I can't, I need to pack and my flight leaves very soon tomorrow, I- I'm sorry Kurt, this isn't how I wanted this to end." Fran did sound at least a little bit sincere and Kurt could hear the stumble breaks in his voice.

"Yeah, me neither." Kurt released his hold on Fran and looked into his eyes, begging him for the final time.

"À la prochaine fois" Fran clung onto the doorway as he spoke and gave a small smile to Kurt before he turned and left.

Blaine excused himself from the game and had Wes swap places with him, much to the dismay of Santana who smirked at him before turning to Wes with a mischievous glint to her eye. He made his way through a few groups of people to get to the kitchen but before he could, Kurt shot out of the room and slid smoothly out of the flat. Blaine changed his direction, much to the annoyance of the people he was passing, and followed Kurt out of the door and let it click quietly behind him.

He had no idea which way Kurt had gone but there was something about him, Blaine felt the need to protect and look after Kurt. _What the hell am I thinking? I hardly know him! He'll think I'm a freak if I-_ his train of thought was cut off by the sound of muffled crying on the staircase above him and Blaine really hoped it wasn't Kurt.

With his knees clutched close to his chest, Kurt needed some time to think about Fran and the different attitudes they had with their relationship. Kurt thought it was going to last because Fran had moved over here, that it would last. Fran thought – _well what did Fran think? I have no clue oh god now I have to go back to an empty apartment and-_

"Kurt?" He heard a familiar voice call out from the landing below him and he pushed his palms into his eyes, wiping away the tears and trying to make himself presentable to whoever was going to find the emotional wreck at the top of the stairs.


	8. BA

Blaine rounded the corner to find Kurt huddled close in himself with his arms wrapped around his knees pulled up to his chin, tears streaking the blotched and puffy ivory skin around his eyes. Even with the pleading look in his eyes Blaine couldn't turn away and his breath caught in his throat.

_He's so beautiful._

"Kurt, what happened?" Blaine tentatively took a step forward before Kurt's face scrunched up and he hid it behind his hands and cried harder. Unsure of boundaries but not caring, Blaine rushed to Kurt's side and sat next to him, pulling the tense body close to his own. He could feel the force of Kurt's crying and he just pulled him closer, careful not to smother him.

"If you want to talk about it, I'm here. I won't judge or call you out; I just want to help you"

Kurt sniffed before he breathed in a few shuddered gasps, wiping his face with his already damp hands but before he could speak Blaine shuffled around a bit and produced a handkerchief from a pocket and presented it to Kurt.

"That's… a nice pattern?" He mumbled, frowning at the piece of cloth inches from his face. It fluttered and he noticed two initials in the corner, B and A, engraved in a whiskey gold colour, surrounded by a cool blue. Blaine laughed before opening Kurt's hand and letting the cloth fall into his palm.

"Here, I don't have any tissues but hopefully this should be adequate enough" Blaine's voice was soft and his eyes looked so caring Kurt had to look away.

"Did you just get back from another century? You're very gentlemanly" Kurt laughed at the image of a Victorian Blaine before looking at the other man who sat pensively next to him an eyebrow raised.

"I wish I had but no, born almost 26 years ago and raised in Ohio. I'm a born and bred 20th century-an." Blaine laughed before speaking again, "But I do consider myself part of the lost race we knew as being gentlemen"

Kurt laughed before wiping his eyes and drying his face even though he kept silently crying through it. He realised how close he was to Blaine, he could almost feel the calm heartbeat of the other man next to him. Kurt relaxed a bit and leant his head on Blaine's shoulder, sighing heavily.

"I'm sorry Blaine, I shouldn't drag you down with me, you should go and enjoy being a musketeer for the end of the year, I need to be getting home anyway" Kurt tried to stop thinking about the empty apartment he would be going back to but the knowledge that Fran wouldn't be there seared through him like fire and he started sniffing again, the tears slipping through his eyelids.

"Don't apologise, whatever happened has happened and I am not leaving you alone like this, I promise." Blaine stood up and held out his hand, "I can walk you home, I insist. Now, shall we?"

Kurt looked up at the person stood in front of him, his eyes wide and earnest with that smile tickling his plump lips and for the first time since the kitchen, Kurt Hummel felt like his world wasn't crumbling around him.

"Of course" He said, smiling up at him and taking his hand.

They both went back to the party; hands intertwined before they got to the door and they agreed to just tell their friends they were going home and not to worry. Blaine was told by Wes and Mike that making the three musketeers into two was "not cool" and that his "bro points would be deducted" which Blaine just rolled his eyes at. He didn't care about 'bro points', he only wanted Kurt to get home safe and unhurt.

Kurt whispered to Rachel that he would explain everything later before looking across the room into Blaine's eyes and nodding. She gasped and pulled at his clothes, "Kurt Hummel if you don't tell me _right now_ what the hell is going on I swear to god I will tear your clothes into _pieces_". He gingerly plucked her hands away from the gentle fabric of his shirt and made his way silently to the door, meeting Blaine and brushing shoulders just so.

As they pulled on jackets and tightened scarves around their necks, Blaine found his hand almost magnetised towards Kurt's and until they were out of the building and walking in the direction of Kurt's house did he pluck up the courage to hold Kurt's gloved hand and flash him a nervous grin. Kurt returned the smile and gave his hand an encouraging squeeze.

"Fran left. He's gone back to France" Kurt wasn't sure if Blaine knew Fran was French or even who Fran was but he may as well start somewhere, they had a 20 minute walk to the subway station. "It was a brand new job opportunity but I think we had complications in the relationship and I can't-" He almost started crying again but managed to hold it together. It's not like he couldn't feel them, like a chunk of thick dark chocolate coating the inside of his mouth and down his throat, he just chose to keep it together until he got back to the apartment and then he could cry all he wanted.

"Hey, hey Kurt, I'm not going to say it's okay now because it's obviously not but it will get better and no matter what happens; I want to be there for you, okay? I let you go once and I'm not going to lose you again." Kurt smiled at Blaine's words and was about to speak before Blaine beat him to it.

"I- I'm sorry if this sounds heavy but I feel- I felt the first time I saw you that there was- is something between you and me, I don't know what but if you let me, I'd like to find out, I mean, if that's okay? I feel like I've been looking for you for a very long time."

Kurt inhaled sharply and squeezed Blaine's hand. It did feel like too much, after Fran breaking up with him and leaving, this isn't what Kurt had expected his New Year's Eve to be like but Blaine was helping. In a weird way, he was helping him. They were momentarily jostled by a group of drunken people who wished them "all the best in the new year" before turning the corner and letting the noise fade away, leaving the two boys again in silence.

"Please Kurt, say something" Blaine whispered so quietly it was almost lost to the wind.

"I- I don't know what to say, I think I know what you mean but this is a lot to take in – oh we go down here – especially tonight. We should go for coffee or something soon, when I'm not like this-" He gestured vaguely to his splotchy face with his free hand before continuing, "- because as much as you just made me feel, I don't think I'm ready for anything serious yet, I need space"

They stood on the platform together, the snow and cool air lost behind them in the streets, waiting for the train to take them to Kurt's apartment.

"Oh god no, I don't think I can stomach a relationship yet either, I just wanted to say that before I became too scared and never said it all." Blaine swayed back a bit as the train pulled in and they climbed into the carriage, sitting next to each other with a comfortable space between them.

"Well in that case, thank you for your bravery kind sir" Kurt giggled and flexed his fingers currently with Blaine's. They stepped off the train together after sitting quietly together and Kurt lead them back out into the cold before stopping.

"Oh my god, where do you live, I can't just let you walk me home if you live on the other side of Manhattan, _Blaine-_"

He stepped backwards and looked at Blaine, _really_ looked. His face was flushed from the cold and his coat was buttoned up wrong, he had one longer side and didn't seem to notice. His bow tie was looser now, hanging around his neck with the woollen scarf draped along his shoulders, not even covering his neck. _Oh my god you cutie _Kurt thought as he let go of Blaine's hand (He did hear the whimper Blaine emitted as he did) and started to sort out his coat and scarf.

"How did you manage to walk so far in the cold with this scarf not keeping you warm?" Kurt lightly scolded before giving Blaine the once over and nodding to himself.

"I had your hand, I didn't need anything else" Blaine blushed even as he said it but still made grabby hands at Kurt. He smiled before giving his hand to Blaine and pulling them gently towards his apartment.

"You didn't answer my question Blaine, how are you going to get home, there aren't any taxis"

"I can catch the subway. I'm crashing with Wes who doesn't live far from the flat where we had the party, it should only take me an hour or so to get back" He added with a shrug.

Kurt stopped again and gaped at Blaine.

"You can't be all the way out here and take an hour to get home!" Kurt felt guilty now, it was his fault that Blaine was here and now it was going to take him ages to get home.

"Kurt, hey, Kurt! Listen to me! I. Will. Be. Fine!" He punctuated every word of his last sentence with a light squeeze to Kurt's hand.

"I still feel guilty"

"Don't"

And that was the end of the matter. They walked in silence, the sounds of a subway train rumbled under their feet and a few taxis' shot past, but apart from that, they were alone.

"This is me" Kurt announced quietly outside a tall building with a few lit Christmas trees hidden behind curtains still illuminating the street from windows above them. Blaine looked up the building and back to Kurt's face. It wasn't as blotchy as before but you could tell he had been crying at some point because of his puffy eyes. Blaine didn't want to leave Kurt here on his own, especially since they had another half an hour until the New Year but he also knew that Kurt needed space.

"Here's an idea, if it's not too rude of me" Kurt raised an eyebrow at Blaine's excited outburst and stared at him to continue, "We should celebrate new year together" (Blaine tactfully left out the kissing tradition) "and then I'll go back. No funny business, I promise"

"You've made a lot of promises tonight Blaine, I hope you plan to keep them all" Kurt grinned at Blaine and pulled his keys from his pocket with a jingle sound and slipped one of them into the lock. "Home sweet home, almost-" He smiled as he ascended the stairs first and didn't think about the view Blaine would get of his ass, "-here we are".

He gestured to no. 206 and let himself in, making sure to hold the door so that it wouldn't slam in Blaine's face.

"Your apartment is very beautiful. Honestly, I really like what you've done to the place, sorry to be cliché" Blaine closed the door behind him as he looked around the apartment. It was nothing like the house he lived in but it was more modern and edgy. It was _Kurt_.

Kurt appeared out from a room Blaine assumed was the kitchen, "Red or white? Beer? Coffee? Tea?"

Blaine paused, should he be drinking when he had so far to travel back?

"I'll have red if that's not too much trouble"

"Of course not, I offered you it didn't I?" Kurt disappeared back into the room and Blaine took off his jacket and scarf, feeling utterly ridiculous in his costume.

Once he had meandered over to a lonely looking piano in the corner, Kurt had wandered over and offered him the glass of red. It smelt divine. Blaine couldn't tell if it was the overwhelming smell of Kurt in the apartment or of the sharp sting from the wine that caught his attention so he just went with the wine and tried to not feel awkward about it.

"Do you play the piano?" Kurt's voice was soft as he traced the top lightly with his fingertips. The contrast between the ebony piano and ivory skin mesmerised Blaine until Kurt nudged his shoulder and smiled at him. "Anyone there?"

"Oh, sorry, yeah, I used to play a lot in my high school Glee club, I know this might be pushing it a little but do you mind if I play it? It's been years and it would really mean a lot to me"

Kurt nodded and made himself comfortable on a chair he had dragged from the dining room table whilst his hands nursed the glass of red.

Blaine sat at the piano and pressed a couple of keys, testing the tuning and rekindling his love for acoustic music. After playing a few scales, he found himself playing a familiar tune of a song that he listened to recently. His hands moulded to the piano and he just let it go,

"_I want to take you somewhere so you know I care,  
but it's so cold and I don't know where.  
So I brought you daffodils, in a pretty string,  
but they won't flower like they did last spring._

_And I want to kiss you, make you feel alright,  
but I'm just so tired to share my lines,  
I want to cry and I want to love but all my tears have been used up._

On another love, another love,  
all my tears have been used up,  
on another love, another love,  
all my tears have been used up,  
on another love another love,  
all my tears have been used up."

Blaine paused for a second to look at Kurt who was crying again, pushing the handkerchief into his eyes and rubbing them feverishly.

"Kurt, oh did I make you cry, oh my god I'm so sorry" He jumped from the stool and knelt in front of Kurt, wiping the tears from his cheeks with his thumbs and begging him to look at him.

The blue-eyed man looked at Blaine, emotions drowning in his eyes like shipwrecked men and his voice broke as he whispered "Please don't stop playing, you play beautifully, I was just thinking about Fran. I've never heard that song before but it just feels perfect, please keep playing"

Blaine lowered his hands to his thighs and nodded before pushing himself up and continuing to sing his heart out to this beautiful boy sitting in front of him and crying.

They had ended up on the roof together somehow, still sharing a bottle of wine but from this vantage point, they could see the glowing lights of the city far away and yet still so close. No words had been exchanged since they got up here, Kurt was still sniffing a bit and Blaine was shivering because his scarf had been left in Kurt's apartment.

Blaine didn't care.

He was celebrating new years with hopes and dreams for the future with the most beautiful boy he had ever seen. They both heard the people chanting in the streets and flats below, counting down the seconds to end the year in New York City. Their hands magnetised towards each other with no eye contact necessary.

5!

"Thank you Blaine"

4!

"For what?"

3!

"Showing me that New Years can be perfect even when you've just been left on your ass by some guy"

2!

"It's okay"

1!

"Happy New Year, Blaine" Kurt whispered, his soft voice almost in the cheers coming from the streets below.

"I think I'm falling in love with you" Blaine replied.


	9. Blinding Lights

"Hi Mike" A familiar voice nervously spoke and as he span around, Mike felt his drink splash and lick up the side of his cup, threatening to spill over the edge. He blinked before he spoke, his voice soft and disbelieving.

"Tina?" He stared at the woman in front of him who was kitted out in a damsel-esque costume before he looked back to her face and smiled.

"Are you a damsel in distress?" She smirked up at him before pulling him into the kitchen and closing the door, gripping his hand so tight he became worried, gripping hers in the same manner.

"Mike, I'm sorry for what I said before, I do love you, you know I do and I don't think I could stop if I tried. But I just found out that-"

"5!" They both jumped as the crowd outside began loudly counting down to the new year before sheepishly smiling at each other and Tina continued to speak.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you"

"4!"

She grabbed his hand and started pulling it towards her stomach,

"3!"

"As a family" She whispered before letting his hand rest on her lower waist and holding it there. Mike gasped and she smiled up at him, her hand squeezing his.

"2!"

He smiled back at her and leaned down to kiss her but just before he did, she whispered on his lips, "I'm pregnant"

"1!"

Mike felt his heart drop right back inside Tina's hands, where it belonged, together and in one piece.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR"

The world stopped turning and Blaine stopped breathing, the sticky inhalations catching in his lungs. He stood quietly at the side trying to settle back in to the shadows, shrinking away from the bright lights bursting in the sky in front of Kurt.

"Blaine? Did you- you can't be serious, we've known each other weeks! Weeks Blaine!" Kurt never turned away from the explosions of light and his body stayed rigid, the only thing that shook was his voice, but Blaine could see the tightening of his fingers curling over the edge.

Bright fireworks exploded and coloured the sky above their heads but the only colour Blaine could see was grey, dark and inhibiting grey. He pulled his hand away from Kurt's and blinked away the blinding lights bursting in front of him, rubbing his eyes furiously. He stood still for a moment, staring down at his shoes while he yelled at himself internally. Blaine couldn't look at Kurt, not after ruining his New Year. Instead he waited with his hands firmly pressing at the inside of his pockets, wanting Kurt to say something, anything that would make him feel better. "_You have no right to feel better"_ a voice chirped up in his head, which sounded a lot like his fathers, his tone clipped and short.

"_Courage"_, which sounded like his mother's; soft and insistent near his ear, similar to when she spoke once hugging him goodbye. They had a mantra, his mother and Blaine. It was something personal to them both; it was her way of supporting him and his way of thanking her. Blaine forced himself to look up at Kurt, to hold his own feelings back, to listen to him and respect whatever he had to say, even if Blaine didn't like it and for the first time in his life, not to run away.

Kurt's back stayed stiff and unmoving and Blaine noticed there were tears catching the light from the fireworks rolling down Kurt's impassive face. The only sounds he could hear were cheers from the street and flats below while fireworks boomed further and further away into the distance, the lights illuminating Kurt's profile flashing and fading.

"_Blaine_." Kurt's voice was strong and was like a lightning strike, pure and clear.

"Kurt, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- this is all my fault-" He didn't know what else to say, if he kept talking, Blaine knew it would become harder and harder to stop, so instead he closed his mouth and turned back towards the illuminated city scape laid out in front of them like a map highlighted by streetlamps and fireworks.

After a long pause, the fireworks had faded into dirty and acrid smoke and the cheering stopped, leaving only ambient city sounds left; Blaine started to breathe properly.

"Blaine?" Kurt turned his body towards Blaine and took a step forward before he spoke again, quiet, "It's okay"

He stopped walking and took a breath, his eyes snapping up to Blaine's as he straightened out his shoulders, "I heard what you said and it's okay. I'm a bit overwhelmed and still broken up about Fran-"

"Kurt, I'm so sorry – I didn't mean-" Blaine's mumbling was silenced by Kurt's warm palm settling on his cheek, which was a heavy contrast to the still falling snow and icy wind.

"Blaine, I'm freezing cold, I can't even feel the tips of my fingers and even though I'm smiling, my cheeks can't tell. Can we just enjoy the new year?" He looked expectantly at Blaine before pulling him back down the stairway (making sure to close the door behind them) and back into his apartment so he could start the kettle boiling to make some tea.

After Kurt had poured himself some tea and offered some to Blaine (who politely declined with a shake of his head) they started a light-hearted conversation about superheroes and their various costumes. Kurt told Blaine of his favourite superhero inspired outfits he had seen circulating around the Vogue offices (to which Blaine raised an eyebrow) and Blaine told him the childhood dream of one day helping to save lives. They were cut short as Blaine's phone rang out with the opening chords to 'I need a hero' and Kurt hid a smirk behind his hand as Blaine excused himself to take the call.

"Mike? What's up?"

"Tina's pregnant"

Blaine was speechless as he heard Wes cheering and yelling in the background.

"We're also back together, HAPPY NEW YEAR, MAN!" Mike sounded a lot happier than he had in _weeks_ so Blaine grinned and congratulated him before wishing him a happy new year and hanging up, the smile still on his face.

"So my friend Mike just told me that his girlfriend Tina is pregnant and I'm so happy for them!" Blaine span around and beamed at Kurt, the smile lighting up his face.

Kurt's eyes widened before he started cheering and fumbling in his pockets for his phone, mumbling names and numbers to himself while Blaine looked on in confusion.

"You know Tina? Wait! You went to school with them didn't you?"

Kurt paused in his search for the phone and looked up at Blaine,

"Hold on, wait, you're _Blaine?"_

They stared at each other, the cogs turning around and falling into place as they had their 'ahh' moments respectively before they burst out laughing, Blaine clutching onto the table and Kurt hiding his smile behind his hands.

"Oh my god I can't believe how _stupid_ we have been!"

"Tell me about it" Blaine laughed.

"Christ! It's only half 12. I feel like we've been talking all night,"

"Well we were just interrupted"

"Oh yeah, so you grew up in Ohio, I'm sure that Mike said you were part of a Glee club?"

Their conversation continued until they were both yawning and stretching out their tired limbs. Kurt glanced at the clock hanging on his tiny kitchen's wall and gasped, it was already 6am.

"Blaine, considering it's 6am, do you want to just stay over? I don't mind, I'm actually too tired to care right now, you can have the sofa?"

Blaine stood up and cracked his back, (Kurt ignored the stripe of skin peeking out from his waist and turned away, thoughts of Fran clouding his mind), before looking at the time on his phone to distract himself.

"Are you sure you don't mind? I don't want to intrude and you might want to be on your own tonight?" Blaine met Kurt's eyes and smiled lopsidedly at him, his voice ringing out like a question he was scared to ask.

"It's fine Blaine, I'm actually in the mood for company"

They stood awkwardly for a moment before Kurt hurried off to grab a blanket and a few pillows while Blaine started taking of the clothes he knew would dig in while sleeping but still keeping in mind he was sleeping in an almost strangers front room.

When Kurt came back he could only see the back of Blaine, in a tight black tank top and boxer shorts.

'_Jesus'_, he thought, _'Blaine is gorgeous' _

He dumped the blanket and pillow on the sofa and cleared his throat,

"Here you go" His voice came out more level than he thought it would be and he smiled warmly at Blaine.

"Kurt, I'm sorry if me sleeping like this-" He gestured to his clothes (or lack of), "-is rude, but I don't want to sleep with a sword digging into my back"

"Hey no, that's cool, whatever makes you comfortable _while_ wearing clothes is fine"

"Okay, well, good night and thank you" Blaine sat on the sofa, beaming up at Kurt with tired eyes and a friendly smile.

"Goodnight and you're welcome" Kurt spoke, turning back to his bedroom with a smile on his face and feeling lighter than he had all day.


	10. The Morning After

The next morning Blaine woke up to the sound of muffled crying and mumbled words. He didn't want to move in case Kurt realised that he was awake so he stayed still, his right leg hanging off the side of the sofa and his right hand grazing the soft grey carpet.

"Yeah, thanks, I know dad, I know I just-" Silence apart from a few broken breaths and Kurt spoke again, "Dad, I wish I was back in Ohio, no, no, don't, I'll be fine but I really could do with seeing you. I'll be back in February, I promise. Yeah, yeah of course, I'll let you go, give my love to Carol. Okay, bye dad"

Blaine heard the sound of a phone dropping onto the floor and more muffled sobs. He couldn't figure out what to do. He made a snap decision and stood up, making his way to Kurt's bedroom (or what he assumed was the bedroom) as quietly as he could. Once he reached the doorway, he knocked twice and waited. Blaine heard Kurt scramble from wherever he had been sitting and open the door, with a puffy red face and a sad expression.

Blaine had never wanted to help someone more. He pulled Kurt into a hug and spoke into his neck,

"Please tell me this is okay because I don't want you to feel so sad" the only reply he received was Kurt winding his arms around Blaine's waist and hugging him back. They both stood for a moment, the sound of Kurt's snuffling and soft breathing barely registering to Blaine as he noticed the ambient sound of the city below. He didn't know what time it was but he hoped it wasn't too late; he needed to meet Wes and Mike soon. Kurt soon loosened his grip on Blaine and wiped his face with the back of his hand, avoiding Blaine's eyes.

"Would you like some coffee?" Kurt croaked, turning back into the bedroom to grab some tissues before smiling down at Blaine and gesturing towards the kitchen.

"Oh god yes please" Blaine grinned at Kurt and shuffled up to one of the bar stools and sitting primly on the edge. Kurt wandered about the kitchen grabbing supplies from various cupboards and laying them down on the counters in front of him while Blaine looked on in amazement. How could Kurt move so gracefully around a kitchen? He had the body and movement of a dancer that would rival a Broadway star.

"Kurt, why did you stop dancing?" He asked cautiously.

"Excuse me?" Kurt span around mid-plucking of mugs from the cupboard above the microwave and placed them on the table in front of Blaine.

"Well, you used to be in Glee club…" At Kurt's raised eyebrow he explained that Rachel had loudly told Wes about the New Directions and Blaine had overheard.

"I was just wondering why you chose to be a teacher instead of performing" Blaine glanced down at his thighs before looking back up at Kurt.

"Because I had a change of heart, and I sprained my ankle one practice and it's never really been the same since"

"Oh"

They sat again in the ambient sounds of the kitchen and the city noise, Kurt's fingers tapping on the counter as he waited for the coffee to be ready.

"Sugar? Milk?" He spoke quietly, as if his thoughts were still at the forefront of his mind.

"One sugar, a splash of milk please," Blaine mumbled before standing and walking over to the book shelf/dvd case next to the window. He skimmed his fingers over some of the older tomes and smiled to himself when he reached the shelf that was just Vogue magazines, pulling out the previous July issue and flicking through. Kurt cleared his throat and brought over Blaine's coffee, handing it over and looking at the magazine in Blaine's hand.

"I don't know why but July is always my favourite month for reading Vogue." He said delicately, his eyes skimming over the pages and smiling wistfully at the glossy photos and classic text.

"Although, I do not agree with fish net tights. I just don't understand, unless you're a teenage girl from the 80's dancing in a cheesy music video, don't wear them!" Kurt's eyes lit up with amusement as he spoke and he looked up at Blaine and smiled.

"Oh my god, I totally know what you mean, I swear I saw this woman the other day who was wearing bright green ones and I almost puked." Blaine laughed at the picture of the bright neon still alive in his mind. Kurt laughed too, and Blaine noticed the way his smile lit up his face and his milky skin stretched over the smooth neck when he exposed his collarbone by laughing.

It was like the night before when he had expressed his growing love for Kurt; time seemed to stand still and Blaine was suspended. Everything was Kurt, the apartment, the cologne, even the coffee. He blinked a couple of times and sipped his coffee to clear his head. After putting the magazine back on the shelf he wandered back to the dvd's and smiled at very familiar titles.

"We have exactly the same taste" He spoke through a smile and it showed in his voice.

"Excuse me?"

"In films"

"Oh. Wait, you like musicals and trashy romance?"

"Don't you?"

"Well I – Yeah, but I can't – couldn't watch them with Fran – he thought they were silly" Kurt's eyes began to fill up and in Blaine's haste to cheer Kurt up he grabbed the nearest DVD and shoved it into Kurt's empty hand.

"Can we watch this? I don't really want to leave yet – it's snowing like you wouldn't believe outside" Blaine said, his eyes darting over to the window and widening when he saw just _how much_ snow there was outside. He walked over, pressed his palm on the cool glass, and imagined how the large flakes would feel on his face. Kurt cleared his throat and stood behind Blaine, his breath _just_ brushing his neck.

"We could go back up to the roof? Rachel and I used to have our coffees up there when we lived here together," Kurt murmured, putting his empty coffee cup on the table and grabbing his jacket from the stand next to the front door.

"That sounds great" Blaine smiled as he accepted his jacket from Kurt's outstretched hand.

They were interrupted by a loud knocking on the door and then two muffled groans from behind it. Blaine knew it was Wes and Mike before he had even looked at Kurt, and he knew he was in _big_ trouble.

"Blaine, we know you're in there! Come on buddy, you need to go! Brownie and Yip are missing you!"

He looked at Kurt before shrugging and opening the front door, very surprised to see that the two men in front of him were wearing pink and yellow matching hats, scarves and upon further inspection, mittens. Blaine smirked and then slapped his hand across his face to hide the laugh clawing its way out of his throat. He turned back to Kurt to find he was smirking too, with his hands thrust into his coat pockets.

"How did you know I'm here and what are you _wearing_?" Blaine spoke around a laugh while he re-arranged Wes's scarf (his hand was slapped away while Wes glared at him).

"Rachel told us and we didn't realise it was going to snow so much so Rachel and Tina let us borrow their matching scarves and mittens." Mike's mouth was threatening to curve upwards at the mention of the mittens and all he had to do was catch Blaine's eye and then they were all laughing.

Once they had their breath back and introductions had been made, they were invited in while Blaine grabbed his stuff from around Kurt's apartment. He made one last sweep and then made his way to the door, where Mike and Wes were stood waiting, still smirking over the matching mittens.

"Kurt, I'm sorry I had to leave so early but can I – uh – get your number, maybe? You know; if you want?" He looked up at Kurt and flashed him a friendly smile with a hopeful glint to his eyes.

"Sure" He held out his hand and Blaine passed his phone over while Kurt tapped on the screen before passing Blaine's phone and his own over. Once they finished and Blaine had his shoes on, there was an awkward moment where they stood in front of each other, arms hanging limply from their sides.

Blaine just went for it and pulled Kurt into a bear hug, squeezing him before they let go and Blaine left the apartment with a grin on his face. He knew that Wes and Mike would prod him in the ribs for gossip before they reached Blaine's neighbours flat and he would cave eventually. They picked up his dogs and for the rest of the day they hung out together in Blaine's front room.

At 5pm, Wes insisted he needed to go back to shower and eat and Mike had a night in with Tina. They left still smirking at Blaine's never-ending smile and patted him on the back before leaving.

He lounged on his sofa, relaxed after his shower and full after his tea, scratching Brownie behind the ears and cooing at Yip when he moved in his sleep. He was plagued with the feeling of needing to text Kurt but he didn't want to be too forward, so he left it. He dressed for bed, locked up and checked his apartment, made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth and then collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep almost straight away.

Even though he considered himself a light sleeper, Blaine missed the lighting up and ding from his phone informing him of a new text from 'Kurt Hummel'.


	11. One Year Later

January

Kurt felt like he was treading water, just barely keeping his head afloat. He called his dad every weekend and met up with Rachel just as often. Blaine had been texting him most days but still kept his distance. It was the first time someone knew when to talk to him and when not to. He still was not over Fran; they hadn't talked much, considering the time differences and busy work schedules. Secretly he was glad, he was sure if he heard Fran's voice, even over the phone, he would break down and beg to have him back.

Rachel was his life raft, over bottles of wine she helped him see that someone who leaves someone they love for a job never truly loved them at all. She held him on the cold nights and laughed with him as they warmed.

February

The year continued, the snow melted, and Kurt began to smile freely again. Valentine's Day passed with no thought, Rachel postponed her date with Brody to take Kurt for a Broadway date instead. He appreciated her knack for distracting him when he needed it, and the same went for his dad when he talked to him during the week. His job was helping him with focusing on what he needed to do rather than what he wanted to do which was talk to Fran. Who was miles away and whom he had been trying not to contact since January.

Blaine had been like a fleet of ships, picking him out of the water and giving him a blanket to warm himself with and cup of hot chocolate to warm his insides. Since they had been meeting up every week for a coffee or a film, Kurt had pushed Fran to the back of his mind and replaced his memories with the new ones created by Blaine.

March

With the arrival of spring came a sense of peace washing over Kurt, as if balance had finally been restored. The bond between Fran and himself was starting to break away, they talked less and Kurt found solace in his friends around him rather than someone who was an entire sea's distance away. Blaine had helped him through it, the awkward moments had almost disappeared by now and they felt so much more comfortable together.

Going back to his class after his first accident was hard, he had taken the first two months of the year off for holiday, using Fran as an excuse and his headaches, which were worrying for his dad but becoming less frequent every day, as one too. The break had cleared his head and helped him think about his future and relationships.

April

April brought rain and sadness, the school he worked at just didn't seem the same anymore, the children still inspired him to be a teacher but he just didn't have the drive to teach them. Things changed in April and Kurt finally admitted to himself his feelings for Blaine but he didn't tell Blaine about them. He needed to ground himself, and talk to Rachel. Tina helped distract him by having her baby shower in late April, when the blossom trees bloomed and made the streets look littered with confetti petals.

He received a call from Sam a day after who was in the city for a few weeks and wondered if he had any time to spare so they could catch up. Kurt introduced Sam to Blaine and saw a friendship that he was glad he helped begin.

May

Sam moved in with Blaine in May and Kurt finally met Brownie and Yip, falling in love with them both instantly. He admitted his feelings to Blaine on the 17th and the only thing Blaine could say was "finally" as he exhaled quietly. The roof was still their special place; they even had paper lanterns to hang up. Sometimes Rachel and Sam joined them up there and they laugh until six in the morning and collapse into Kurt's apartment to sleep.

Kurt and Blaine talked about their future and their relationship; it was more difficult than either of the two predicted. It lasted three days, not including the day where they didn't speak to each other. They thought about whether it was worth it to live so far apart and yet still make time to see each other considering Blaine's unpredictable schedule. Each time Blaine is called out Kurt worries. Sometimes he finds out the next day and sometimes he finds out when Blaine knocks on his door at 6am covered in brick dust and smelling of smoke.

June

Blaine suffers an injury one night after pulling a heavy man out of a burning building. Kurt stays with him for a month to help with shopping, walking the dogs and showering. They become even closer and Blaine gains the courage to ask Kurt to move in with him. He accepts immediately and they share a bottle of champagne together. Rachel and Brody help Kurt move out of his apartment and they even think about moving in to his old one. The days pass full of smiles and the hope of a wonderful summer.

Kurt applies for a job at Vogue and after talking with Isabelle, he gets the job and sprints home, a beaming smile clueing Blaine into what happened when he sees Kurt from the window. They give little thought to the classroom full of children one year ago today, they're too busy thinking of the year ahead.


End file.
